Herne & Broomfield need your help to fight the Local Plan

Herne & Broomfield Parish Council is launching a fighting fund in a bid to stop farmland in Herne being developed as a housing estate. The plan by Hollamby Estates is to build 800 houses.

The Parish Council could have to pay thousands of pounds as part of their battle to block the plans to develop Strode Farm as part of Canterbury City Council’s development plan.

The parish council has already employed a highways consultant, jointly funded with the charity CPRE Protect Kent, and is hoping to employ a planning consultant who would represent it at the official hearing.

At the last parish council meeting, councillors agreed to launch the fund to appeal to local residents to help fight the development, which will have a huge impact on Herne Village, and the local roads including Herne Street and Bullockstone Road. Many children within the parish would be unable to choose Herne Bay High School as they will be pushed out of the catchment area.

People able to help with the cost should send a cheque made payable to Herne & Broomfield Parish Council in an envelope marked Strode Farm, or pop into the parish council office at The Parish Office, Herne Mill, Mill Lane, Herne, Kent CT6 7DR.

For more information phone the parish office 01227 742700.

Local Plan: Parish pledges to halt Strode in its stride

Parish councillors have vowed to stop a massive housing development they fear would link Herne to Herne Bay.

Members of Herne and Broomfield Parish Council are working with charity CPRE Protect Kent to find reasons to stop 1,000 homes being built at Strode Farm owned by Hollamby Estates, of which parish councillor Andrew Brealy is a director.

Mr Brealy left the room when the issue was discussed at a meeting on Thursday, but chairman Tony Day said the charity's advice was to focus on highways issues.

The development, included in Canterbury City Council's draft Local Plan, would involve upgrades to Bullockstone Road to turn it into a "relief road". But Councillor Day said they did not go far enough. He said:

"The road will end up more or less as it is. It is totally inadequate. It is less adequate than the current route through the village. People from all the new developments will all want to go to Canterbury and will be going through our village or a relief road. All these developments should hinge on the proper infrastructure being in place."

The parish council plans to hire an independent expert - part funded by CPRE Protect Kent - to examine the highways issues but members said it was crucial residents also got involved. Councillor Ann Blatherwick said:

"We need to find out why we are not being considered separately to Herne Bay and why we are not mentioned as a village. We are a separate community. But we are just lumped in together and that explains why they are trying to join us up."

Members also discussed the loss of agricultural land, and the lack of school places. County councillor Alan Marsh said:

"We would need new schools, two primary and two secondary, to deal with the numbers of children. There isn't money for one school, let alone four."

The parish council won the backing of city councillor Peter Vickery-Jones, who stressed he had not been part of the Local Plan steering group that put the proposals together. He said:

"It is about time Canterbury picked up where it should. There has been huge resistance to South Canterbury but it is right it should be developed there."

But he cited the need for an alternative option, and suggested Thanington near Canterbury.

Village Hall plans on display

Plans for a new village hall for Herne will go on display next month. Herne and Broomfield Parish Council members have asked flve developers to provide drawings and costs for a new building in St Martin's View, next to the School Lane car park.

Villagers will be asked to choose their favourite and fill in a questionnaire before councillors decide how to proceed.

At a meeting of the parish council on Thursday, clerk Monica Blyth said developers would be at a public exhibition on Friday, July 12th from 1 to 7pm to answer any questions and results of the consultation would be considered by the hall committee.

Cllr Tracey Jones said it was important the consultation was as wide as possible, with an exhibition at the weekend as well as during the week. Councillors agreed to investigate other dates the material could be on display and to print extra leaflets and posters to distribute via schools and shops.

HB Times 20th Jun 2013

Herne Bay councillor charged with corruption

Canterbury city councillor Roger Matthews has been charged with corruption.  The 57-year-old, who represents Greenhill and Eddington ward in Herne Bay, has also been suspended from the Liberal Democrat Group following the shock news.  He is due to appear before magistrates on Thursday, March 26 alongside Herne Bay Golf Club owner Julian Brealy. Matthews said he plans to plead not guilty and will "have his day before judge and jury" at crown court.  

The father-of-two, who has lost his seat on the planning committee as a result of the charge, was arrested last July following an early-morning raid on his home in Beltinge Road.  Both Matthews and 50-year-old Brealy, who lives in Mandarin Lane, Herne Bay, were charged under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889, which relates to the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by councillors.  Speaking outside a council meeting just hours after leaving the police station on Tuesday, Matthews told of his "complete surprise" at being charged.  He said:

"I don't believe I've done anything wrong. I was honestly surprised to be charged and will clear my name in court. I will be pleading my innocence so the case will go to crown court where QCs and barristers will inevitably be involved. Unfortunately the people picking up the bill will be the state. The only people making money out of this are those in the legal profession."

Although not disclosing the exact allegation he faces, self-employed property manager Matthews confirmed it relates to his time on the planning committee. He said:

"I have never favoured anyone in a planning decision and never would. Some people may not be happy with some decision and that's when they start stirring the mud - and mud sticks. I'm not a dishonest man. I may bend at times, but I'm not dishonest. Loads of people have been interviewed by police, both councillors and former councillors. I haven't kept a low-profile . When you start sticking your head above the council parapet people start shooting at you. There are 15 or so members on the planning committee so I don't see how one man's vote or views can affect a decision. To the police I'm just a feather in their cap."

Matthews was elected as a councillor for Herne and Broomfield in 1995 and again in 1999. In 2003 he was elected to represent Greenhill and Eddington after Herne and Broomfield was split in two.  As a result of his suspension from the Liberal Democrat Group, Matthews has lost his seats on the planning, audit and overview and scrutiny committees.  They are due to be reallocated at a council meeting on Thursday, March 19.  Matthews can still represent his ward at full council and Herne Bay member's meetings, but only as an independent councillor.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Alex Perkins said:

"While Cllr Matthews can, if he wishes, remain a city councillor, henceforth he is not and cannot describe himself as a Liberal Democrat and no longer speaks for or represents the Liberal Democrats. He will now face a court to explain his actions and it would therefore be quite wrong for me to make any comment other than to reiterate that Roger has been suspended from the Liberal Democrat Group and from the party. I would urge everyone to remember that being charged with an offence is not the same as being found guilty of one."

Leader of the council Cllr John Gilbey said:

"It is most unfortunate that it has come to this. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. When I've seen Roger over the last few months he has seemed more and more confident, as if the whole thing had blown over or he knew something we didn't. It is my understanding that a lot of people were talked to by police but I wasn't personally interviewed. Roger is entitled to his day in court - and in this country we pride ourselves that anyone charged is innocent until proven guilty."

Brealy, the managing director of Hollamby Estates, Heron Helicopters and Herne Bay Golf Club, spent £1.5 million last year building lagoons to cut the risk of flooding in Herne Bay.  He will appear alongside Matthews at Maidstone Magistrates Court on March 26.  The Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 states:

• The acceptance of gifts and/or hospitality by councillors and staff must be treated with extreme caution.
• On each occasion a judgement must be made between causing offence by refusal and risking improper conduct by acceptance.
• Gifts offered to a councillor or to staff should be declined if they know or suspect the giver has, or seeks business, with the council.

thisiskent 11th Mar 2009